MKs have begun to issue reactions to the IDF’s announcement that the bodies of Naftali Frenkel (16), Gilad Sha’ar (16), and Eyal Yifrah (19) were found on Monday night, with many calling for revenge against Hamas. 

“The murderers of children cannot be called ‘human beings’ – we will pursue them until they are destroyed,” Deputy Education Minister Avi Wortzman (Jewish Home) stated Monday night. “My heart is with the noble Sha’ar, Frenkel, and Yifrah families. There are no words and there is no comfort.” 

“The entire Jewish people joins with the grief of the families, who have epitomized, over recent weeks, Jewish nobility and national unity,” Deputy Transportation Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) added. “The criminal acts of kidnapping and murdering the students cannot be overlooked in silence and those in Gaza who are responsible for it are obligated to pay the price. The State of Israel must declare war against Hamas, who is responsible for the murder.” 

“There is no comfort for the murderers of children,” Economics Minister and Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett said, speaking from an emergency meeting of the Security and Defense Cabinet. “Our hearts are with the families now, this is the time for action and not words.”

“During these difficult times, I reach out to the noble Sha’ar, Frenkel, and Yifrah families, who each taught us a lesson about loving your fellow Jew and loving your fellow human being,” Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) stated. “Israel must go out to war against terror in general and Hamas in particular. Now it is the time that the Palestinians also understand that Hamas brings losses to them as well.” 

“For 18 days, the State of Israel worked to bring back the boys,” MK Shuli Muallem-Refaeli (Jewish Home) noted. “Now this is the time to act with firmness. The blood of the boys must be redeemed. It’s an eye for an eye today, and tooth for a tooth.” 

“We are in deep mourning,” Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) added. “The Jewish people is united in prayer, a unity that must continue always. Like in war, we must hit the terrorists mercilessly on one side and give a Zionist answer on the other.” 

“Israel must now go out to Operation Defensive Shield in Judea and Samaria,” MK Yoni Chetboun (Jewish Home) declared. “We must crush terrorism, there is no other way.”

“Bad news came today to three families and the entire nation – our great hopes, faded,” said MK Eli Yishai (Shas). “We must give over a powerful message to our enemies: that terror will have a heavy price, we will not sit idly by in the face of the tears of these families.”

“The people of Israel are crying and lamenting the despicable murder of three boys, which was carried out by animals without any semblance of humanity,” MK Nissan Slomiansky (Jewish Home) said. “We were privileged to see these noble families unify the entire Jewish people, with all its diversity, and with eyes full of tears I send my condolences. Israel must operate immediately to punish and deter the terrorists.” 

“Gilad, Naftali and Eyal – may God avenge their blood,” Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri stated. “The entire Jewish people is in mourning tonight with the bereaved families, who showed all of us over the past weeks what faith and Jewish strength are.” 

“I join in the grief of the Sha’ar, Yifrah, and Frenkel families,” Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Eli Ben-Dahan (Jewish Home) stated. “I am sure that the prayers of all of Israel for their return were not rejected; there is no doubt that they helped the entire Jewish people.”